An embodiment of the present invention relates generally to an electronic amusement device, and more particularly, to an electronic amusement device having a controller for selecting and playing at least one electronic game and for selecting and playing a music data set from a plurality of music data sets.
Amusement devices having electronic games for computers and touchscreens or other types of amusement devices are generally well known in the art. Amusement devices, such as game machines, which allow a user to select games from a video display are well known in the art, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,856,787 (“Itkis”); 5,575,717 (“Houriet, Jr., et al.”); 5,743,799 (“Houriet, Jr., et al.”), the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein, each of which shows a touchscreen for making a game selection from a menu of games. Such game machines or amusement devices typically operate upon input of currency (i.e., coin, token, paper money, credit/debit cards or the like) and are installed in locations such as bars, restaurants, airports, shopping malls, video arcades, casinos or the like. The game choices may include card games, sports games, games of skill, games of chance, action games, trivia games, or the like.
Jukeboxes having a plurality of songs available for selection and play are also generally well known in the art. As with game amusement devices, jukeboxes typically operate upon input of currency and are installed in locations such as bars, restaurants, airports, shopping malls, video arcades, casinos or the like. Upon receipt of currency, a user is prompted to select one or more songs for play, typically over a public speaker system installed in the location of the jukebox. Originally, the music selections were provided on 45 rpm records that were played by an automated turntable in the jukebox. The vinyl records were eventually replaced by compact discs (CDs) and the turntable replaced by a CD player. More recently, jukeboxes have become computerized, capable of playing selections of music as MP3 files, streaming audio data sets, or the like.
Game amusement devices and jukeboxes have generally been installed as two separate entities, with each having its own cabinet, for example. This is inconvenient for a user engaging the amusement device who desires to make a song selection on the jukebox, as the user must abandon the amusement device and risk turning it over to another player. One solution has been to put a controller of the amusement device in communication with a controller of the jukebox. The user of the amusement device may then access the jukebox through the amusement device interface and make a song selection. It has also been suggested to place both controllers into one cabinet and similarly allow communication between the amusement device controller and jukebox controller. Both systems are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0059492 (“Hedin”), the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
It is desirable to provide an amusement device with a common or shared controller for enabling a user to select and play an electronic game and to select and retrieve for playing a music data set from a plurality of music data sets. It is further desirable to allow the amusement device and jukebox functionalities to share content, rewards, or the like.